


Face to Face

by peppydragon



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Awkwardness, Cuddles, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, No Plot/Plotless, Player POV, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, adult Player since I somehow never realized hes like 15ish, alcohol mention, just fluff, makeout, marijuana mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 04:53:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17933207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peppydragon/pseuds/peppydragon
Summary: Carmen intends to spend her heist-free week in Amsterdam, touring through the sights and enjoying the local cuisine. Her second night in the city, though, leaves her feeling lonely. There's only one person Carmen wants to talk to at that moment and, in spite of their vacation from one another, he answers the call.





	Face to Face

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

* * *

 

Player is about to turn in, setting his systems to sleep mode, when his display lights up, flashing a red-rimmed hat. It's not the emergency line, or the comm line, so she is calling him from her personal cell.

He's honestly surprised that Carmen is calling him - hadn't she promised it was a real vacation, not a working one? - but he's kind of glad for it. He connects to the call, sliding his headphones back on. "I thought you were heading to the canal belt?"

"I did," she chuckles. She sounds sleepy, but content. There's a rush of noise on her end, wind or a car zooming past; he can't tell. What he can tell is that there's a tremor in her voice, a bitten-back shiver. "I'm actually staring into the Emperor's Canal right now."

"Does Amsterdam meet the hype?"

"It's pretty great," she agrees, her tone wistful. "Can't glaze over the fact that poffertjes is my new favorite food, either. And the beer! Player, the beer alone is worth the liver failure."

"Glad you're having a good time," he laughs, leaning back in his chair and staring at the red hat on his screen. "Still planning on heading south?"

"Maybe. Or north. I'm not really sure." There is an odd silence on the line - not uncomfortable, just unexpected. Carmen clears her throat and murmurs, "What time is it there?"

Player glances at the time and winces. "Two."

"Oof. I guess I should let you go then. Just wanted to check in, say hi. It's felt like forever."

Two days - slightly less than, technically - went by without a call, and somehow it felt like a century. Carmen seems to agree, which makes him feel better about pacing his studio more often than working. "It's fine, I'm not tired," he lies.

"It's supposed to snow soon," she murmurs.

"It's snowing here, too."

Carmen lets out a soft sound. "I guess we're sharing that, then." He doesn't know if she's hungover or simply lonely, but the words sound sad. She clears her throat again, changing the topic with a cheery simper. "Well, I have stroopwafels to try, and I can't do that unless I go into one of these cafes. I'll call you later if you're not too busy?"

"Yeah," he says quicker than he probably should. "I mean...if you're bored."

"Goodnight, Player."

"Goodmorning, Carmen."

The call ends, and he's left with an odd pit in his stomach. He goes to bed, tossing and turning for what feels like hours, before finally succumbing.

 

* * *

 

He wakes up to three images on his personal communication line, all from Carmen. The first is a selfie of her, standing in a thick crimson parka, her hair haphazard and snow-speckled, fluttering in the wind. The Rembrandt House is behind her, somber but beautiful. _Y_ _ou'd love it here,_ she wrote.

The second features her at a cafe with a cup of coffee and something that looks suspiciously like a brownie. She's grinning her heart out with a woman who must work at the cafe. At the bottom, her message reads, _made a new friend when I "accidentally" knocked over a dine and dasher._

The third photo is darker, taken in her hotel room. Carmen stands in front of a floor-length mirror, showing half of her shadowy form and the reflection of snow falling out the window behind her. That one reads, _my new friend gave me a pot brownie, and somehow I didn't realize that's why it tasted weird. Anyway, unintentionally tripping in the hotel and missing you._

The last part makes his heart flutter. He swallows down his desire to call her, to tell her he misses her every time they aren't working on a case, every time the research means stretches of silence between them. But he controls himself, picking up his encrypted phone and donning a coat, heading outside.

The streets are mostly empty, the sudden snow driving everyone indoors. Player only travels a block to the corner store, shaking snow from his beanie as he enters, squinting through the bright fluorescents. He picks up provisions - snacks, eggs, protein bars, milk, soda - only to stop by the window, looking out over the white streets. Player turns his back to the window, grabs his phone, and snaps a selfie. He adds,  _your view is better than mine._

"Are you planning on buying something or snapchatting?" the man behind the counter calls, making Player flush and shove his phone back into his pocket. He pays for his items, struggling to carry all of them through the thickening snow, and lets out a sigh of relief when he's back in his tiny apartment.

Carmen has responded, the text popping up just as he grabs a can of soda and returns to his monitors. _My view might be better, but I'm close to a panic attack._

He's confused for a moment before everything clicks. He laughs and switches from his phone to his monitor, fingers flying across the keys.

**White Hat** _  
I feel like I warned you about accepting baked goods from passersby_

**Black Sheep** _  
You did, but my waitress friend didn't seem like a drug-em-and-leave-em type_

**White Hat** _  
Exaggerate much?_

**Black Sheep**  
_Me? Never_  
_Hey_  
_It's kind of weird that I've never been to Canada, huh?_

**White Hat** _  
No V.I.L.E. operations up here yet_

**Black Sheep** _  
Sure, I just mean that I could go anywhere in the world, almost anytime, but I've never made it there._

**White Hat** _  
It's kind of boring to be honest_

**Black Sheep**  
_Boring is good sometimes_  
_A lot of times_

Player writes and deletes the same thing four times before giving into his stupidity. _Want me to book a flight for you?_

Carmen's response takes five minutes to come through; it's the most agonizing five minutes he's ever spent - other than during her more stressful capers, of course.

**Black Sheep** _  
I thought you'd never ask_

* * *

 

His hands are sweating. Player can't remember the last time he's had face-to-face conversations with people outside of food delivery and grocery store clerks. Even so, he shoves his hands into his coat and waits outside of the private landing strip, excited and terrified.

Carmen's plane arrives right on time. It loiters for a while before the small hatch swings open, and his best friend lithely hops to the ground, turning to receive a bag from her pilot. She looks around her before her eyes land on him.

He begins moving when she does, halving the distance between them. They come to an abrupt stop in front of each other, neither seeming to know how to move forward. Player ducks his head, laughs, and then meets her blue eyes with his. "Hey, Red."

"Hey," she chuckles, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around him. He returns the hug, hoping she can't feel his heart hammering against her. If she does, she doesn't say anything. She pulls back and smirks, shouldering her bag. "Well, how about you prove that you have better pizza here than in Italy."

They catch an Uber to the shop under his studio apartment, the smell of garlic and fresh crust making Carmen sigh delightedly. When they sit, she moves her chair closer to his, conspiratorily whispering, "In case you're too thick to notice, the girl behind the counter can't stop staring at you."

Player doesn't look up - he knows. Julie's tried, on many occasions, to coax him into asking her out. "A secret hacking lair isn't exactly the place to take a random girl from a pizza shop."

"Sure, but you realize there's a hotel, like, two blocks from here." When he raises a brow at her, she looks innocent. "What? I needed to see what your area has, so sue me."

"Not that," he laughs, shaking his head. "The fact that you thought I'd, out of the blue, decide to ask a girl to go to a hotel room with me."

"After dinner and drinks, of course," she grins. She has a playful twinkle in her eye, the one Player could practically hear on every mission, during every conversation. "It'd work on me."

Player isn't sure what to say, and luckily Julie takes that moment to arrive for their orders. "Same as usual, Darren?" she asks.

Player forces a smile and tries to ignore Carmen's growing grin. "Margharita okay with you, Car -- Carol?"

Carmen's nose wrinkles at the name choice but says, "My favorite. And water," she adds, her warm smile all for Julie. "Thank you so much."

Julie leaves for the kitchen and Player relaxes. "Sorry, didn't have a fake-to-the-third-power name lined up for you."

"You're slipping," she teases, tilting her head to the side. "Is everything okay?"

He probably looks pale. He probably looks ill. This is the whole reason he never suggested that Carmen come to visit. "Sorry, just...it's weird being together. Here."

"Yeah, you're right," she sighs, leaning back in her chair. "I should have realized you'd rather come to Amsterdam."

Player blinks, surprised at the way she took his statement. "That...would have been nice. Can't leave the command center for long, though."

Carmen leans toward him a bit, large eyes pinning him into place. "The world won't fall apart if you take a week off. Isn't that what you told me a few days ago?"

"I knew you'd use that against me someday. Guess I figured I had a few years until it happened, though."

She pushes her auburn bangs back before resting her jaw on an upturned palm, watching him. "How about you take a half-vacation with me? Play by day, work by night? What do you think?"

He knows he's flushing under her intense gaze, but she doesn't let up, and he doesn't look away. "I think that can be arranged, Carol."

She snorts. "Of all the cover names, you give me Carol."

"Subterfuge is your game, not mine."

"Says the hacker."

"To the thrill-seeking, world-class thief with a Robin Hood complex."

"Touche, _Darren,"_ she laughs, bumping his knee with hers. "Fair warning, though - this Robin Hood complexed pickpocket might decide to slip your number to poor Julie." Before he can retort she rolls her eyes. _"I know,_ your number isn't a number, it's a series of encryptions that connect through ones and zeroes, bouncing around the world, untraceable. Just let me have this one?"

Player doesn't bother correcting her very simplified, half-incorrect memory of his system. Instead, he returns the knee bump, loving the softening around her eyes when their legs remain pressed together.

 

* * *

 

Player can't remember the last time he was in the outdoors for so long. He prefers the safe, warm, shadowy studio he resides in, but Carmen thrives in the sunlight. Her bronze cheeks dot with snow; her wide eyes shimmer with excitement.

They spend hours at and around the Falls, watching the gushing water. They take a ferry ride, freezing in the cold wind and spray. And then they get coffee, loitering in the cafe until sundown, playing chess and eating croissants. Carmen is a tough opponent, but she has no chance against him.

Carmen finally addresses the elephant in the room - parting. "I guess you need to get back to your computers," she says slowly, running a fingernail around the mouth of her cappuccino mug.

"Probably," he mumbles. Carmen pulls her phone out of her pocket - he assumes she's hailing a ride - but Player opens his mouth, blurting out, "You can stay with me."

Carmen raises a sculpted brow at him, her lips curving at the corners. "You mean the super-secret hacker lair that poor Julie doesn't get to see?"

"Poor Julie hasn't been involved in years of death-defying capers and rampant criminality for the greater good."

"Fantastic point." She slides her phone into her coat and shrugs into the parka. "I'd be honored to see where the magic happens."

Player flags down a taxi that is conveniently loitering outside the strip of tourist shops near the Falls. They drive a few blocks away from his studio, getting out and walking the rest of the way. Carmen is surprisingly quiet as they trudge through the snow, and then when they slip through a back door of the pizza parlor, the snug hallway leading up to his loft.

He closes the door and secures it behind them, the sharp clicks of the locks turning into place sounding ominous. Carmen picks up on it, too, because she jokes, "You're sure this is a hacker lair and not a kill room, right?"

When he turns to her, she's tossed her bag in the corner and is ambling through the dim room, fingertips brushing along the small dresser, and then his desk, the back of his chair. The tight circle leads her to stop in front of him, waiting.

"I have some beer," he offers, not sure what else to say.

"Or," she murmurs, backing up and allowing him to breathe, "we can just...chill." Carmen sits on the corner of his bed, kicking her feet out.

"Why is this so hard?" he asks without meaning to.

She chuckles and leans back on her hands. "It's kind of weird being face-to-face."

"I never thought we would."

"Same."

"I mean, I wanted to, it's just-"

"We're not exactly meet-up-for-coffee types."

"Exactly," he sighs, glad she understands. He sits in his chair, swiveling it to face her. "And you're you. Carmen Sandiego. In my hovel."

"Lair," she corrects and bites her lower lip to contain a smile. "Nice lair, by the way. Cozy."

"I can sleep on the couch-"

She raises a brow at him. "Or your bed, which, to me, makes much more sense."

"You can have it."

"Oh, I will," Carmen laughs, flopping across the comforter. She looks dark and exotic on the white fabric. "But I don't take up an entire bed's worth of space." When he doesn't reply, she turns over onto her side, peering at him through the hair sliding from her haphazard bun. "Say the word and I'll head to the hotel."

"No," he says quickly, embarrassed by the haste. "If you're okay with staying here."

"Duh."

He laughs awkwardly, glancing toward the shuttered window and then back to her. "So-"

"Come here," she murmurs, rolling over to offer him space. Player slowly moves to the bed, laying on his side beside her and trying to keep his heart from exploding.

"What's up?" she asks, unblinking.

"Nothing?"

Carmen grins - she does that a lot, which is endearing but somehow terrifying. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing," he repeats, making sure to not drop his gaze to her lips or the way her white tee is pulling up at her waist.

"Cool," she murmurs, twisting to lay on her back, hands crossing under her head and eyes closing. "I just figured you might want to kiss me or something."

He coughs, too surprised to breathe, and Carmen peeks at him through one eye. When he finally manages to control himself, he meets her one-eyed gaze with his, trying to determine if she's serious or not. She shows no hint of kidding, which somehow leaves him less sure of anything.

But when Carmen doesn't move, he gives in to the voice in his head, leaning over her and gingerly pressing his lips against hers. One of her hands comes up, caressing his neck, shoving his beanie off, her fingers curling in his hair.

Player pulls back but only a fraction, sharing her breath. She tilts her head up a bit, lips brushing across his as she whispers, "Can I admit to wanting that for a long time?"

Her eyes are sparkling in the reflection from the monitors' glow. She looks tousled and beautiful, potentially deadly but worth the risk. "How long?"

Her lips quirk a bit. "Since V.I.L.E."

"Before you got out?"

"Bingo."

He watches her, rolling the confession through his head before ducking down again. He takes her lips with more force this time, allowing himself to melt into her when she shifts to press against him. They explore each other's mouths, lips grazing over cheekbones and jawlines. Player finds a spot on her neck that makes her breath stammer; Carmen caresses his hair in a way that makes his entire body tingle.

They pull apart, Carmen catching her breath and Player attempting to keep his brain from leaking out of his ears. He presses his hand to her waist, pulling her against him, and she tucks her face against his throat. "Hey," he murmurs into the quiet room.

"Hmm?"

"You should stay here for a while. If you want."

He thinks he can feel her smiling against his neck; he can certainly feel the chaste kiss she places on it. "I thought you'd never ask."

 

* * *

 


End file.
